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Metacomet (1636-1676)
}} Biography Metacomet, also known as Metacom and by his adopted English name King Philip, was a Wampanoag and the second son of the sachem Massasoit (c1581-1661). He became a chief of his people in 1662 when his brother Wamsutta (c1634-1662) (or King Alexander) died shortly after their father Massasoit. Wamsutta's widow Weetamoo (c1635-1676), sunksqua of the Pocasset, was Metacomet's ally and friend for the rest of her life. Metacomet married Weetamoo's younger sister Wootonekanuske. No one knows how many children they had or what happened to them all. Wootonekanuske and one of their sons were sold to slavery in the West Indies following the defeat of the Native Americans in what became known as King Philip's War. At the beginning Metacom sought to live in harmony with the colonists. As a sachem, he took the lead in much of his tribes' trade with the colonies. He adopted the European name of Philip, and bought his clothes in Boston, Massachusetts. But the colonies continued to expand. To the west, the Iroquois Confederation also was fighting against neighboring tribes in the Beaver Wars, pushing them from the west and encroaching on his territory. Finally, in 1671, the colonial leaders of the Plymouth Colony forced major concessions from him. Metacomet surrendered much of his tribe's armament and ammunition, and agreed that they were subject to English law. The encroachment continued until hostilities broke out in 1675. Metacomet led the opponents of the English, with the goal of stopping Puritan expansion. King Philip's War * See Main Article: King Philip's War Metacomet used tribal alliances to coordinate efforts to push European colonists out of New England. Many of the native tribes in the region wanted to push out the colonists following conflicts over land use, diminished game as a consequence of expanding European settlement, and other tensions. As the colonists brought their growing numbers to bear, King Philip and some of his followers took refuge in the great Assowamset Swamp in southern Massachusetts. He held out for a time, with his family and remaining followers. Hunted by a group of rangers led by Captain Benjamin Church, he was fatally shot by a praying Indian named John Alderman, on August 12, 1676, in the Miery Swamp near Mount Hope in Bristol County, Rhode Island. After his death, his wife and nine-year-old son were captured and sold as slaves in Bermuda. Philip's head was mounted on a pike at the entrance to Fort Plymouth, where it remained for more than two decades. His body was cut into quarters and hung in trees.Alderman was given Metacomet's right hand as a reward. Marriage and Family Wamsutta's widow Weetamoo (c1635-1676), sunksqua of the Pocasset, was Metacomet's ally and friend for the rest of her life. Metacomet married Weetamoo's younger sister Wootonekanuske. No one knows how many children they had or what happened to them all. Wootonekanuske and a nine-year-old son were captured and sold as slaves in Bermuda or West Indies. Vital Records Miery Swamp Marker His death occurred in the "Miry Swamp" at Mt. Hope circa August 12, 1676. The marker was placed at the site of his death by the Rhode Island Historical Society in 1877. It sits on private land owned by Brown University's Haffenraffer Museum of Anthropology. References * "Blood and Betrayal: King Philip's War", * Massasoit - MayflowerHistory.com * * #7834408 Category:Native American leaders Category:Wampanoag people Category:American folklore Category:Burials in Massachusetts Category:Native Americans connected with Plymouth Colony Category: Battles of King Philip's War Category: Conflicts in 1676 Category: King Philip's War Category:Participants of King Philip's War Category:Officers of King Philip's War Category:Native Americans of King Philip's War Category:Casualties of King Philip's War